Network-based one-on-one provision of service has become widespread with the ever-growing availability of the Internet and mobile telecommunications access around the world. In-person service, in comparison, is expensive, often inconvenient in terms of travel for either service providers or clients, and sometimes simply unavailable.
For some fields of remote service, for example online teaching of mathematics, or provision of advice in cooking or medicine, to name a few quite disparate disciplines, a real-time video connection is extremely helpful. In mathematics instruction both students and tutors often need to be able to show the method of problem solving, which can include at least diagrams, graphs, geometric shapes, and equations.
Video conferencing technology debuted in the United States during the 1960s, e.g., as part of AT&T's development of Picturephone technology. The first transcontinental video call was made in 1964. Video conferencing systems throughout the 1990s rapidly evolved from very expensive proprietary equipment, software and network requirements, to a standards-based technology readily available to the general public at a reasonable cost.
Since the 2000s, video conferencing has been popularized via free Internet services such as Skype and iChat, web plugins and on-line telecommunication programs that promote low cost video conferencing to virtually every location with an Internet connection. Computers serve as the data processing units that tie together the microphones, speakers, cameras and displays, do the compressing and decompressing, and initiate and maintain the data linkage via the network.
Bruno (U.S. Pat. No. 5,784,561 granted 1998) describes an on-demand real-time video conferencing system in a circuit switched communications network. The technology enables a user to connect to another specified user or to multiple specified users.
Chao et al (U.S. Pat. No. 6,325,632 granted 2001) describes an apparatus enabling online sessions between instructors and students whereby students and instructors are matched based on individual needs and interests.
Stuppy et al (U.S. Pat. No. 6,733,295 granted 2004) describes a learning system between a teacher and a plurality of students via interactive communication channels.
In some cases, service is wanted immediately in order to address a specific, time-sensitive need, such as homework or test revision. In this case the availability of an on-demand immediate response from a provider would be advantageous.
Burdin (US Patent Application Publication 2011/0289880) describes a method for on-demand dispatching of services by trade persons, in which local contractors indicate real-time availability for immediate hiring by customers. The contractors indicating availability are placed in a queue where their position in the queue is determined by payment of a fee, and the services, if ordered, are then provided off-line.
Schoenberg (U.S. Pat. No. 8,694,612 granted 2014) discloses a method for connecting consumers with providers of live video performances, whereby the selection of service provider is determined by the consumer's request for specific performance attributes.
Tutor.com is an online site providing 24/7 tutoring in many subjects, including mathematics. Users log in and can pay to choose from a wide variety of tutors in different subjects, where tutors are identified by a picture, name, and written profile. After making an appointment, communication during tutoring sessions is via voice, text chat, and shared interactive electronic whiteboard.
TutorCircle is another online site providing mathematics tutoring around the clock. After purchasing a monthly plan, users can connect to a tutor using voice, text chat and a shared electronic interactive whiteboard.
WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication) technology makes high-resolution video, audio, file sharing and screen sharing possible directly in many web browsers without requiring software download. WebRTC is an application programming interface (API) definition drafted by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) that supports browser-to-browser applications for voice calling, video chat, and P2P file sharing without the need of either internal or external plugins. Joining a one-way or two-way videoconference (also referred to as entering a video “room”) is as simple as clicking on a link.
Despite the technologies known in the art, there remains a need to streamline access to on-demand remotely provided services that rely heavily on visual representations and acts via videoconferencing. This disclosure addresses a system and method for doing so. More particularly, the present disclosure is directed to methods and systems that specifically address the practical needs for real-time instructional interaction in a cost-effective, secure and reliable fashion.